All Industries

Legible Launches AI-Powered Version of Animal Farm by George Orwell: A Unique Interactive Reading Experience

Legible Media Inc

Click Image To View Full Size January 25, 2023 – TheNewswire -- Vancouver, BC - Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (OTCQB: LEBGF) (FSE: D0T), a preeminent digital book platform and publisher, announces the launch of Animal Farm AI, the latest in its series of interactive classic novels. This innovative release marks a new era in reading, offering Legible readers the extraordinary opportunity to engage in dialogue with the book, elevating both educational and entertainment values. Kaleeg Hainsworth, CEO of Legible, enthused, " Animal Farm AI reinvents the way we interact with literature. By introducing two AI-driven characters, Sonia and Daisy, from within the book, readers can delve deeper into George Orwell's narrative, gaining new insights into its themes and characters through real-time conversations. Our approach significantly enhances the reading and educational experience, setting us apart in the digital book market." As readers traverse the narrative of Animal Farm AI, they encounter strategically placed interactive AI elements, prompting in-depth discussions about the story's pivotal events and underlying themes. This feature connects Orwell’s renowned dystopian novel with both its historical context and enduring relevance. Legible’s AI-powered Classics series is available on iOS and Android and is currently offered exclusively to members of Legible “ Unbound ”, Legible’s monthly membership service. Legible Unbound delivers a vast selection of eBooks and audiobooks as a bundled service, with a growing catalog comprised of millions of titles. The “AI Classics” series debuted in December 2023 with A Christmas Carol AI, to glowing reviews. Legible is scheduling monthly releases of “AI Classics” eBooks to Unbound members. "With the launch of our AI Classics, we are opening up a new publishing era, innovatively enhancing the reader experience using AI in a traditional eBook," adds Hainsworth. “Legible’s platform leads the way for publishers to innovate and reach a global audience of multilingual readers. This innovative method of storytelling aligns with Legible’s mission to make reading more engaging and accessible, providing greater value to our Legible community.” Highlights of the Animal Farm AI experience include: Conversational Characters: Real-time dialogues with characters within the eBook, offering fresh perspectives on the narrative and multifaceted character development. Plot Discussions: Delve deeper into the plot by discussing pivotal events, character motivations, and thematic elements, enriching understanding and appreciation. Interactive Learning: Ideal for education, the interactive AI-powered eBooks allow questions about literary themes, historical context, and symbolism, catering to students, multilingual audiences, and lifelong learners. Exclusive Access: Exclusively available to Legible customers, the AI-powered book series is part of the Legible Unbound membership, providing unlimited access to a diverse library of eBooks and audiobooks for a low monthly fee. Original Artwork: Each book in the series features original artwork produced by a professional artist in collaboration with AI, reflecting the style and colors of its period, and accompanied by a creative statement from the artist. Experience the future of reading by subscribing to Legible Unbound at legible.com. Download the Legible app to access this original content and our extensive collection of eBooks and audiobooks from any smart device worldwide. About Legible Inc. Legible has developed a proprietary innovative platform specializing in interactive eBooks and audiobook entertainment, accessible on any browser connected device. Legible’s extensive partnerships encompass four of the big five Publishers and the world's largest eBook distributor, enabling Legible to seamlessly deliver millions of eBooks and audiobooks, effectively transforming any smart device into a dynamic library and eBook store. At the heart of Legible’s innovation lies its LibrarianAI, the world's pioneering AI-powered literary assistant, enhancing the reading experience. Legible’s publishing division is impacting the industry by crafting proprietary AI-enriched multimedia books, creating a new standard in literary engagement. Legible is focused on building a global user base of monthly subscribers, creating a stable recurring revenue platform to achieve sustainable cash flows and ongoing revenue and earnings growth. To sign up and become part of the Legible family, please go to www.legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life. Investor Contact Deborah Harford EVP, Global Strategic Partnerships 1 (672) 514-2665 invest@legible.com Website: https://invest.legible.com Investor Relations I nvestor Cubed Inc. Neil Simon, CEO 647-258-3310 nsimon@investor3.ca Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information This Press Release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information (“forward-looking statements”), including statements regarding Legible’s business. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Legible's control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, currency fluctuations, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although Legible believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward- looking information. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward- looking information, as no assurance can be provided as to future results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date of this document and, except as required by applicable law, Legible does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

January 25, 2024 03:06 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

HTX's Annual Crypto Gala Concludes: Presenting 9 Major Awards and Bestowing 35,000 USDT to Honor Crypto Trailblazers

HTX

On January 24, 2024, the Award Ceremony for the 2024 HTX Crypto Ecosystem Annual Gala took place to honor the most influential individuals, projects, and events that made a lasting impact on the crypto industry throughout the year 2023. HTX takes the spotlight as the host, backed by the support of media partners including Jinse Finance, Foresight News, PANews, MarsBit, and TechFlow. The event is graced by a significant presence of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). Besides, HTX Live orchestrated a live stream of the entire grand ceremony, with the broadcast being transmitted through various media platforms such as MarsBit, CF Blockchain, and iCloser. The live stream attracted an impressive audience, amassing over 150,000 views. Justin Sun, a member of the HTX Global Advisory Board, was invited to attend the event and deliver a speech. He emphasized that HTX has successfully hosted award ceremonies for the crypto ecosystem for two consecutive years. These events not only serve to honor crypto elites but also stand as a testament to the collective dedication of the industry as a whole. He added that the year 2023 marked his first full year with HTX, a period filled with various challenges and hardships. Looking ahead to 2024, he aspires to lead HTX on a distinctive path within the crypto space. According to Sun's analysis, although exchanges such as HTX and Binance have implemented Merkle Tree PoR, many others still exhibit lower transparency and higher centralization in their operations. The establishment of HTX DAO aims to enable users to believe that they are the true owners of HTX. In the future, efforts will be directed at refining the representative election process and welcoming more ecological users and community members to actively participate in the governance of HTX DAO. Furthermore, Sun believes that decentralization is an inevitable trend in the crypto industry. With the launch and successful operation of HTX DAO, it is expected that more exchanges will embark on the journey towards decentralization. In the live stream of the ceremony, a total prize amount equivalent to nearly 35,000 USDT in $HTX has been distributed, and nine major awards were presented. These awards include the Most Influential Event Award (Top 10), Concepts with the Greatest Market Potential Award (Top 10), the Most Influential Web3 Media Award (Top 10), the Most Popular Content Creator (Affiliate) Award (Top 100), the Most Popular Web 3 Social Media Influencer Award (Top 200), the Best Community Partner Collaboration Award, the Best Partner Award, Top Client Excellence Award, and the Top Trending Crypto Among Users Award (Top 10). Additionally, HTX distributed 1,000 Red Packets, each worth 10 USDT in $HTX, and 100,000 Gift Packs, each worth 88 USDT, to users watching the live stream on HTX Live. Click the link to learn more: https://www.htx.com/en-us/live/community/dynamic/h5?uidUnique=233427705&invite_code=dbkt7223&inviter_id=11346540 As per reports, the awards nomination saw robust engagement, drawing active participation from nearly 20,000 users in the voting process. The final winners were chosen through a blend of user votes and HTX's official evaluation. The overarching goal of these awards is to recognize influencers contributing to positive changes in the crypto ecosystem and to express gratitude to HTX's loyal users and esteemed partners. According to HTX, the cryptocurrency market exhibited a positive trend throughout 2023, attributed to a combination of internal and external factors. HTX closely follows the market pace, actively exploring new assets and projects. The wealth effect of newly listed assets has significantly improved, and there have even been rare instances of assets multiplying their value by hundreds of times. In the meantime, HTX has undergone a rebranding, breathing new life into the exchange with a new international brand image. Thanks to the support and trust of the community, HTX has garnered the confidence to confront an uncertain future, ultimately achieving this impressive accomplishment. During the transition from a bear market to a bull market, there has been an observed enhancement in the overall economic situation and emerging innovations within the crypto sphere. These trends suggest an anticipation for the imminent arrival of a new bullish market cycle. Narratives surrounding cryptocurrencies have become increasingly diverse and enriched, fueled by a confluence of favorable factors. These include the anticipation of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, the approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs, the Bitcoin halving, Ethereum's Cancun upgrade, and the emergence of numerous new sectors and concepts within the crypto space. HTX wishes to take this opportunity to express gratitude and recognition to creators, live streamers, KOLs, and partners for their remarkable contributions to the platform's development, encouraging them to keep creating more compelling content. Furthermore, HTX warmly invites them to join the HTX DAO, uniting efforts to collectively build HTX into the people's exchange. About HTX Founded in 2013, HTX has evolved over a decade from a simple cryptocurrency exchange to a comprehensive blockchain business ecosystem. This expansion covers a wide range of services including digital asset trading, financial derivatives, wallets, research, investments, incubation, and more. As a world-leading portal to Web 3.0, HTX is committed to a growth strategy focused on global expansion, ecological prosperity, wealth effect, and safety and compliance. This approach enables us to offer comprehensive, safe, and reliable services and value to virtual currency enthusiasts around the world, reinforcing our position as a global gateway to Web3. Contact Details Michael Wang glo-media@htx-inc.com Company Website https://www.htx.com/

January 25, 2024 02:02 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

BestGrowthStocks.Com Interviews Darren Marks of Grom Social Enterprises

BestGrowthStocks

Best Growth Stocks, a leading independent equity research and corporate access firm focused on finding and reporting on the best growth stocks utilizing exclusive AI-assisted research recently had an opportunity to interview Grom Social Enterprises CEO, Darren Marks. Grom Social Enterprises (NASDAQ: GROM) CEO, Darren Marks took some time recently to answer a few questions for BestGrowthStocks.Com’s Steve Macalbry. Highlights Best Growth Stocks senior editor and Darren Marks discusses current projects in production, global strategy and brand extension, new projects in the works, future insights, and much more. Access the full interview here: https://bestgrowthstocks.com/darren-marks-ceo-interview-by-steve- macalbry-of-bestgrowthstocks-com/. (If you cannot click the link above, copy and paste to your browser may be required) Access the full interview here: https://bestgrowthstocks.com/darren-marks-ceo-interview-by-steve- macalbry-of-bestgrowthstocks-com/. (If you cannot click the link above, copy and paste to your browser may be required) About Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: GROM) is a growing social media platform and original content provider of entertainment for children under 13 years of age, which provides safe and secure digital environments for kids that can be monitored by their parents or guardians. The Company has several operating subsidiaries, including Grom Social, which delivers its content through mobile and desktopenvironments (web portal and apps) that entertain children, let them iinteract with friends, access relevant news, and play proprietary games while teaching them about being good digital citizens. The Company owns and operates Top Draw Animation, which produces award-winning animation content for some of the largest international media companies in the world. The company owns an 80% stake in Curiosity Ink Media, which is a global media company that develops, acquires, builds, grows and maximizes the short, mid, and long-term commercial potential of Kids and Family entertainment properties and associated business opportunities. Grom also includes Grom Educational Services, which has provided web filtering services for K-12 schools, government and private businesses. For more information, please visit the Company’s website at gromsocial.com or for investor relations information, please visit investors.gromsocial.com. About Best Growth Stocks Best Growth Stocks is a leading independent equity research and corporate access firm focused on finding and reporting on the best growth stocks utilizing our exclusive ai-assisted research. BGS is also a financial news provider, focused on giving investors direct access to CEOs of promising, publicly-traded companies, and market experts. Our CEO interviews aim to answer the questions that rest on the minds of current and future shareholders. This is not to be construed as financial advice. Please consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Contact Details Best Growth Stocks Senior Editor: Steve Macalbry Editor@BestGrowthStocks.com Company Website https://www.BestGrowthStocks.Com

January 25, 2024 01:39 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

News Release

American Paper Plate Coalition Petitions for Relief from Unfairly Traded Imports from China, Thailand, and Vietnam

American Paper Plate Coalition

The American Paper Plate Coalition (“APPC”), representing the majority of American paper plate production, today petitioned the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) and the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) to investigate unfairly priced and subsidized paper plate imports from China, Thailand, and Vietnam. The antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) petitions detail unfair trade practices to sell paper plates at less than fair value and allege dumping margins up to 279%, as well as numerous subsidies. The petitions detail the injury suffered by the U.S. industry and its workers, and request relief in the form of special duties on all associated imports to offset unfair pricing and unfair subsidies. “Imports from these countries have used dumped prices and subsidies to continue to grow in the U.S. market at the expense of American producers and workers,” said Bill Biggins, President and Co-owner of APPC member Aspen Products, Inc. “Over the past three years, unfairly priced and subsidized imports have harmed American producers and taken jobs away from hard-working Americans.” The cases filed today cover all types of plates produced from any type of paper, regardless of color, decoration, shape and size. “American producers can compete with anyone in the world, as long as we’re all playing by the same rules,” said Robert Epstein, President and CEO of APPC member AJM Packaging Corporation. “Fortunately, our country’s trade laws are set up to support fair trade. On behalf of our employees, customers, and colleagues, we look forward to seeing those laws enforced and those who violate our laws held accountable.” The next steps in these investigations will be the initiation of Commerce antidumping and countervailing duty investigations by February 14, 2024, and a preliminary ITC determination by March 11, 2024. About the American Paper Plate Coalition The American Paper Plate Coalition, representing the leading U.S. producers of paper plates, is comprised of AJM Packaging Corporation of Bloomfield Hills, MI; Aspen Products, Inc. of Kansas City, MO; Dart Container Corporation of Mason, MI; Hoffmaster Group, Inc. of Oshkosh, WI; Huhtamaki, Inc., of De Soto, KS; and Unique Industries, Inc. of Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit https://www.ajmpack.com/, https://www.aspenpro.com/, https://www.dartcontainer.com/, https://www.hoffmaster.com/, https://www.huhtamaki.com/en-us/north-america/, and https://www.favors.com/ The American Paper Plate Coalition is represented by Adam H. Gordon of The Bristol Group PLLC, a Washington, DC international trade law firm committed to defending American industry, agriculture, and manufacturing jobs. Contact Details EAH Strategies Elizabeth Posthumus +1 202-445-9858 elizabeth@eahstrategiesllc.com

January 25, 2024 01:05 PM Eastern Standard Time

The best generative AI solutions of 2024

AIport

January 25, 2024 — Ever since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in the fall of 2022, generative AI (GenAI) solutions have continued to disrupt industries with their surprising and never-before-seen features. Many of the generative AI solutions we hear about today are based on large language models (LLM), which allow them to successfully communicate with end users. Every such model has to be pre-trained on vast amounts of data and then fine-tuned using a variety of different methods. As we’re approaching the end of January, let’s look at the list of the most noteworthy of these models and explore the generative AI solutions they power. Compiled by the AIport newsletter team, this list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a review of what we believe are the LLM-based generative AI solutions and tools that are likely to make headlines this year. GPT (OpenAI and Microsoft) Expectedly, the first LLM on our list with some of the highest expectations this year is at the core of ChatGPT from OpenAI. GPT wasn’t the first LLM out there (there had been others like BERT ), but it was certainly the first one that resulted in a market-ready GenAI product. The original GPT model (Generative Pretrained Transformers) had 170 billion parameters, while the latest version, GPT-4, boasts over 1.75 trillion. The model’s applications are far and wide, being the basis not only for ChatGPT, but also Microsoft’s Bing Chat, which is now part of the Copilot infrastructure. While ChatGPT remains arguably the most impressive text-producing GenAI tool, Bing Chat (unlike ChatGPT) has internet access, making it ideal for web browsing. In addition, the same core GPT model is being utilized by other entities — from Panasonic Connect in Japan, OCBC Bank’s ChatGPT in Singapore, and KPMG’s KaiChat in Germany to the UK government’s upcoming GOV.UK chat. Notably, GPT is also a vital part of OpenAI’s DALL-E suite — a solution that generates images based on descriptions from text. PaLM and Gemini (Google) The next one on our list is Google’s PaLM (Pathways Language Model). The model, boasting 540 billion parameters, was first successfully tested in the spring of 2022. A year later, PaLM 2 was announced and subsequently integrated into Bard — Google’s GenAI chatbot — becoming available to test users around the world. Bard is considered among the finest solutions for productivity, having internet access like Bing Chat, but being less about navigating the web and more about answering burning questions. Bard was seriously bolstered at the end of last year with Google’s highly anticipated launch of the multimodal LLM, Gemini, which had been trained on images and audio/video files, not just text. The jury is still out on how far this update will take Bard, but the expectations are very high indeed. LLaMA (Meta, Microsoft, and Hugging Face) LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI) from Meta was released in February last year. However, the 65-billion-parameter model was leaked online as a downloadable torrent only a week later. While the model did not lead to any ChatGPT-like products at Meta, another AI company — Hugging Face — picked it up and released Hugging Chat. Offering internet access, this GenAI solution has been praised as “the first open source alternative to ChatGPT” with a snarky sense of humor. Not to be outdone, Meta partnered with Microsoft to produce LLaMA 2 in July of last year. Following that, the company announced a beta release of Meta AI at the end of September — a GenAI chatbot, currently available in the US, that can “provide real-time information and generate photorealistic images” from text prompts. This solution is expected to reach Meta users across the rest of the globe later in the year. Claude (Anthropic) Our next LLM is made by Anthropic, and it’s named Claude. Founded in 2021, the company along with its language model may be a less familiar name to most non-geeks. But this is likely to change in 2024. That’s the case not only because the latest version of the namesake GenAI chatbot released last year can now process long PDF files of up to 75,000 words, taking moments to summarize entire books. But also because this has already caught the attention of both Google and Amazon who are keen to invest $2 and $4 billion respectively. While Claude doesn’t offer internet access, its processing power, namely input character memory, outpowers every competitor by a wide margin, including ChatGPT. And the company is said to be working on yet more handy features as we speak. HyperCLOVA X (Naver) HyperCLOVA X is both the LLM and the namesake GenAI chatbot released by the South Korean search engine giant, Naver, last August. Boasting over 200 billion parameters, the LLM is being used mainly for AI-assisted web browsing, much like Bing Chat. While HyperCLOVA X doesn’t speak English, the chatbot’s proficiency in Korean is impressive, having learned 6,500 more Korean words than ChatGPT. In addition to answering user queries, HyperCLOVA X has been designed to offer AI assistance to businesses across numerous sectors — from finance to gaming. Naver is also presently working to make HyperCLOVA X multimodal, following in the footsteps of Google’s Gemini, so another big international headline is likely on the way. Pangu (Huawei) Last spring, Huawei, one of the global tech leaders, unveiled Pangu — an LLM with 1.085 trillion parameters in over 40 natural and programming languages. This LLM now powers the Chinese company’s GenAI assistant called Celia, which resides within Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4 operating system. Supposedly, Celia has already outperformed both Siri and Google Assistant as a phone-based virtual assistant in terms of prompt execution accuracy, such as finding specific photos and documents stored on a device. And as more Huawei smartphones are being churned out, Celia is expected to reach more global users this year with further refinements to the Pangu model. In addition, Pangu is available through Huawei Cloud for commercial use. According to a statement from the company’s leadership, the newest Pangu 3.0 utilizes hierarchical architecture, allowing it to be quickly fine-tuned for a wide range of downstream applications (including Huawei’s autonomous vehicle solutions ), which we’ll surely see more of in 2024. MiLM-6B (Xiaomi) Next up is another Chinese company, Xiaomi — one of the largest phone manufacturers in the world. The company made an entry into the LLM race last summer with its MiLM-6B, a lightweight model created for mobile devices. Boasting 6.4 billion parameters, MiLM-6B has reportedly outperformed rivals in its category and achieved notable scores from evaluation platforms like C-Eval and CMMLU. Xiaomi’s leadership has been vocal for some time about integrating LLMs into its smartphones. It appears that the company’s virtual assistant, Xiao AI, has now finally become a fully fledged GenAI chatbot, generating over 11 words per second. By this metric, despite operating locally on the phone, Xiao AI has matched the performance of some LLMs running on cloud computing services. It’ll be interesting to see whether Xiao AI gets assimilated into the company’s other products, as the rumors suggest, including the recently announced Xiaomi SU7, an autonomous-enabled electric sedan. YandexGPT (Yandex) The final entry on our list is an LLM named YandexGPT from the Russian search engine Yandex. The namesake GenAI solution with 100 billion parameters was beta-released in May last year. The more recent release of YandexGPT2 has demonstrated a 65% improvement in response quality, with a 1.5-fold increase in training data. Interestingly, this GenAI solution was tested and scored enough points to enter a Russian university. YandexGPT was also integrated into Yandex’s flagship virtual assistant named Alice, as well as the company’s smart speakers. Furthermore, the LLM has allowed the company’s e-shoppers to view summarized customer reviews in one place. With YandexGPT at the core, the company now also offers visual GenAI solutions, YandexART and Shedevrum, that can generate images from text, much like Open AI’s DALL-E. Currently, the LLM is also being merged with Yandex Search to offer the end user something similar to Bing Chat and HyperCLOVA X. It’s likely that we’ll see a new announcement pertaining to this development later in the year. New kids on the block Apart from the above entries on our list, several brand new LLMs along with their GenAI solutions are expected to arrive any day from other big players. Among them are Samsung from South Korea, Tencent from China, as well as Amazon and Apple. In fact, Apple already has an internal AI chatbot for employees, but its much-talked-about AppleGPT based on the company’s LLM, Ajax, is said to be around the corner. Amazon began to offer a service for building AI chatbots called Lex a while ago, but more notably, the company recently announced its upcoming GenAI solution tailored for commercial use. Japan doesn’t intend to be left behind either — at least three major LLM initiatives are currently being played out. Among them is a joint project between Fujitsu, RIKEN, Tokyo Tech, and Tohoku University who are developing a series of LLMs using one of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, Fugaku. In addition, both NTT and SoftBank are reportedly in the final stages of developing their “homegrown” LLMs. While much remains unclear and covered in mist (or is it gray goo 😉), one thing is certain — 2024 is going to be the most AI-intense year we have seen yet! If you enjoyed this listicle, visit AIport for more exclusive insights into the latest tech trends, with a focus on the global ML landscape. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Contact Details NettResults PR Nick Leighton +1 949-478-5880 nick.leighton@nettresultsllc.com Company Website https://aiport.substack.com/

January 25, 2024 09:53 AM Pacific Standard Time

IMA Financial Group and Vouch Establish Strategic Partnership To Offer Specialized Insurance to Tech Enterprises at Every Growth Stage

IMA Financial

IMA Financial Group and Vouch, leaders in insurance for technology, life sciences and web3, have today announced the formation of a strategic alliance, merging IMA's brokerage expertise with Vouch's innovative coverage. The alliance disrupts the landscape for innovative tech companies underserved by legacy insurance products. Until now, Vouch has operated exclusively as a managing general agent (MGA), distinguished by its proprietary coverages and direct-to-startup distribution model. IMA is its first retail brokerage partner. To merge its expertise with Vouch’s proprietary insurance products, IMA launched IMA Next.Gen, a new program offering specialized insurance products crafted for venture-backed startups in technology, life sciences and web3. This program fills a crucial market gap, offering unique coverage enhancements and access to 10 exclusive Vouch coverages designed to meet these sectors' rapid innovation and growth needs. Through this partnership, IMA broadens its insurance solutions, providing comprehensive, tailored coverage for the specific challenges tech enterprises face. IMA clients gain exclusive access to Vouch's specialized tech industry products, with preferred pricing and custom coverage options combining standard and specialized insurance products. Mark Ware, EVP at IMA, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: "Partnering with Vouch enables us to enhance our insurance offerings significantly, ensuring our clients, from startups to IPO-ready companies, have access to the best possible solutions." Sam Hodges, Co-Founder & CEO of Vouch, also remarked on the synergy: "IMA's recognized technology practice and track record with innovation economy clients make them an ideal partner. This collaboration is focused on delivering purpose-built insurance products and experiences for tech businesses." The IMA-Vouch partnership represents a holistic approach to insurance management, catering to companies across their development spectrum. It provides startups with essential insurance products at competitive rates and evolves with them to offer a more comprehensive suite of services as companies grow. The IMA Next.Gen program allows clients to leverage Vouch's proprietary insurance and benefits, including exclusive coverage enhancements developed by IMA, as well as the Vouch technology platform. This digital brokerage tool streamlines the insurance process, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience for managing coverage. As clients grow, the program supports their expanding risk management needs, ensuring continuous, tailored insurance support. "We aim to provide founders with products and services uniquely designed for their specific risks," said Hodges. "Our partnership with IMA is a testament to our commitment to serving technology businesses at every stage of their growth." About IMA Financial Group IMA Financial Group is an independent broker defining the future of insurance through comprehensive and consultative risk and wealth management services. A majority employee-owned and managed company, its 2,300-plus associates in offices across the country are empowered by a shared mission to manage risk, protect assets and make a difference. Learn more at https://www.imacorp.com. About Vouch Vouch is a US-based provider of business insurance to thousands of high-growth companies that has raised $160 million from top-tier Silicon Valley institutions and investors, including Ribbit Capital, Redpoint Ventures, Y Combinator and Index Ventures. Since its inception in 2018, the company has empowered clients to get risk management right through niche expertise, a proprietary approach to pricing and underwriting, fast, digital-first procurement and coverages that scale as the company grows. More information on Vouch can be found at https://www.vouch.us. Vouch Insurance Services, LLC (NPN # 19039391) and Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC (NPN # 19926463) are licensed in the states in which they conduct business. Detailed license information is available at https://www.vouch.us/licenses. Contact Details IMA Financial Group Ruth Rohs +1 303-615-7513 ruth.rohs@imacorp.com Vouch Cassidy Clawson +1 831-247-3750 cassidy.clawson@vouch.us Center Reach Communications Alexandra Campbell alexandra@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://imacorp.com/

January 25, 2024 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Longing for a tropical getaway? Travel This Winter and Spring to America’s Caribbean Paradise, The United States Virgin Islands

YourUpdateTV

If you are longing for a tropical getaway, the U.S. Virgin Islands is home to some of the world's most stunning beaches and luxurious resorts. Recently, the U.S. Virgin Islands Commissioner of Tourism, Joseph Boschulte conducted a satellite media tour to share tips on how to best experience the U.S. Virgin Islands. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/K3EZnYGhDX4 About 40 miles east of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a United States territory located in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The three main islands are St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas, where the capital of Charlotte Amalie is located. Perfect for leisure or business travel, the U.S. Virgin Islands features breathtaking, world-renowned beaches, an international marine industry, European architecture, and a burgeoning restaurant industry. No passports are required from U.S. citizens traveling from the U.S. mainland or Puerto Rico. U.S. Virgin Islands Marks Impressive Year-End Achievements and Sets Ambitious Goals For 2024 The U.S. Virgin Islands celebrated the end of 2023 with remarkable achievements and a vision for an even brighter future in 2024. Under the leadership of Joseph Boschulte, Commissioner of the Department of Tourism, the territory has made significant strides in several key areas. In a year-over-year comparison, the U.S. Virgin Islands has continued to see robust revenue from the shared economy industry, reaching an impressive $343.4 million in 2023, a slight reduction from the record-setting figure of $360.53 million in the previous year. The hotel occupancy rate stands at a commendable 61.8% Hotel bookings within the territory also outpace the regional average daily rate (ADR) with a rate of $463.23, compared to $318.81 regionally. Additionally, the territory’s Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) continues to soar above regional standards. The U.S. Virgin Islands played a prominent role in the Caribbean's double-digit growth in tourism, with international arrivals projected to witness a remarkable 39% increase above 2019 levels in the fourth quarter of 2023. Also, extended stay visitors have seen a significant 25% rise. While 2022 presented some challenges due to cross-industry constraints, including pilot and airplane shortages, the end-of-2023 projections for 2024 remain positive. Seat capacity has increased from the continental U.S. to 23% in St. Croix and 21% in St. Thomas, largely due to the strategy of maintaining strong relations with major carriers. The Department of Tourism has expanded its strategic marketing efforts leading the way for the region into sports marketing garnering partnerships with renowned sports teams and entities, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Jets, Chicago Cubs, and Klutch Sports Group. Additionally, in the sports space the department has established ambassadorships with athletes who have familial ties to the territory including WNBA standout Aliyah Boston, Brooklyn Nets player Nic Claxton, Professional Golfer Alex Swain, and collegiate basketball standout Mervin James at Rider University. Looking ahead to 2024, the U.S. Virgin Islands will continue to strengthen its presence in the sports and entertainment arenas, as well as continue to build out cultural correlation with the Caribbean diaspora. The past year also marked successful elevation of the territory’s three Carnival celebrations featuring more revelers on each island and expansion of the Village Nights that spotlighted local talent including Pressure, Adam O, Star Martin and Karnage, international and Caribbean performers Davido, Machel Montano, Kes, Shenseea Koffee, Dexta Daps, Alison Hinds, Patrice Roberts and more. Carnival’s success has opened the territory to opportunities for cultural exchanges with other islands in the region and African countries. For the coming year, the U.S. Virgin Islands will increase concentrate on: · Airlift: Engage in ongoing conversations with airline executives to increase airlift from the U.S. mainland for winter 2024-25. Restoration of international negotiations with airlines in Denmark, Italy, and Canada is a priority. Our focus is on adding flights to St. Croix from the United States, Canada, and Europe. · Cruise: The partnership with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) will help us to increase cruise calls, create new experiences, collaborate with the local private sector, and generate employment opportunities. Cruise passenger projections indicate a 13% rise for 2024, with nearly 200,000 new passengers expected. · Marine: Strengthen partnerships with marine stakeholders, expand marine experiences, and attract businesses to set up headquarters in the USVI. Collaboration with the Economic Development Authority (EDA) on marine initiatives and working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security to support increased marine development are key goals. We are excited to launch the Virgin Islands Boating Expo (VIBE) in 2024. · Film: The USVI aims to attract film production with its stunning landscapes and unique locations. For more information about the U.S. Virgin Islands and its offerings, please visit https://www.visitusvi.com/. BIO: JOSEPH BOSCHULTE Joseph Boschulte is the Commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. Commissioner Boschulte brings over 30 years of experience in business, finance, and government to the tourism department. The Commissioner has held high-level positions in transportation, utilities, telecommunications, finance, government development and investment banking with a proven track record of improving organizational performance and growth. Boschulte formerly served as President and CEO of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO), Chief Financial Officer of both the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, the Government of the Virgin Islands Employees’ Retirement System, and chaired the VI Public Services Commission. Additionally, Boschulte serves as the former Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), Executive Director for UVI’s Reichhold Center for the Arts, Senior Vice President of Corporate Finance with Wachovia Securities in Atlanta, and Vice President of Banc of America Securities in Charlotte and New York City. Currently, Boschulte serves as the Chairman for the Board of Directors of The West Indian Company Limited (WICO) and sits on the board for the Virgin Islands Port Authority. He is also a member of the US Travel Association. Commissioner Boschulte earned his MBA from Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. A family man first, Commissioner Boschulte is a husband to his wife Aisha, and proud parents of children Jaeden and Janae. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

January 25, 2024 11:44 AM Eastern Standard Time

Video

Premier Design-Build Construction Firm Kingham Dalton Wilson (KDW) Announces Executive Leadership Changes

Kingham Dalton Wilson, Ltd.

Kingham Dalton Wilson, Ltd. ( KDW ), a renowned leader in the construction industry specializing in design-build industrial and commercial construction, has announced it will expand its executive leadership team to support a growing range of projects. The design-build firm will add two longtime team members to its C-suite. Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Jay Kingham, who joined KDW in 2006, will serve as President, a role formerly held by Keith Dalton, who will remain Chief Executive Officer. Eighteen-year veteran Rolf Scheffler has been named to the new role of Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Kingham was KDW Principal and Construction Manager, while Scheffler served as Director of Special Projects. “Clients rely on us as a single-source solution that excels in every stage of a commercial development,” said Scheffler. “As COO, I will work to optimize efficiency in processes, implement risk management practices and champion quality control initiatives to meet our 2024 operational excellence goals.” Former Project Manager Michael Mann replaces Scheffler as Director of Special Projects, and KDW’s Preconstruction Manager Mark Camilli has become Director of Preconstruction. With over 128 years of combined experience and a track record of more than 2,000 successful projects, KDW has an established reputation for providing the highest-quality construction services with a dedicated team of professionals who prioritize customer satisfaction and deliver projects within scope, within budget and on time. In 2023, the company launched nearly 40 projects, including Sovereign Flavors’ Kyle, Texas, headquarters, Balcones Resources’ San Antonio-based material recovery facility, Elin Energy’s Waller County, Texas, solar panel manufacturing facility and Newton Nursery’s Spring, Texas, nursery. The momentum continues into 2024, with additional projects slated for completion throughout the year. "As KDW expands in and beyond Texas, we need additional leaders to serve our growing client portfolio and employee base,” said Dalton. “The new structure recognizes and supports our employees’ dedication and professional development and provides a strong foundation for our future.” Kingham Dalton Wilson, Ltd. ( KDW ) is a full-service design-build firm specializing in customized industrial and commercial construction. With a team of more than 100 in-house designers, architects and multidisciplinary building professionals, the company is a single-source, one-contract solution for global and domestic companies, designing and building facilities that meet complex client specifications, often in niche industries such as cold storage, clean technology, food manufacturing and oil and gas. With headquarters in Houston and an office in Austin, KDW has completed more than 2,000 projects across Texas since its founding in 2004. For more information, visit www.kdw.com. Contact Details Jessica Poulalier jessica@centerreachcommunication.com Company Website https://www.kdwltd.com/

January 25, 2024 09:00 AM Central Standard Time

With 2023 In The Bag, How Arianne Phosphate Is Positioning Itself For Growth As LFP Demand Is Expected To Take Off

Arianne Phosphate

By Meg Flippin, Benzinga The lithium-ion battery market seems to be heating up, thrusting phosphate into the spotlight as companies turn to LFPs to power the cars and homes of the future. One company that could potentially benefit from the trend is Arianne Phosphate Inc. (OTCMKTS: DRRSF), the Quebec owner of the world’s largest greenfield phosphate rock project. Arianne reports that it had a very strong year. The company shares that it has hit multiple milestones in 2023 that position it to handle what is expected to be an influx of demand driven by electric vehicles and battery storage systems. EV Battery Production Shifts Focus For years, North American EV makers relied on lithium-ion batteries made of lithium, cobalt and nickel to power a greener tomorrow. But cobalt and nickel are scarce and expensive. Companies looking for an alternative have turned to LFPs. These batteries are highly stable, longer lasting and more resistant to heat degradation. They also require less lithium. “The demand coming with LFPs is really going to be a big game changer,” particularly for purified phosphoric acid, said Brian Ostroff, President of Arianne in a recent interview. “This isn't 2%, 6% or 8% growth over the next few years, it is 100% growth. New supply is going to have to be built out.” Arianne’s Projects Ready For Influx Of Demand That’s good news for Arianne Phosphate since its Lac à Paul project in Quebec consists of several mineralized zones that will produce high-quality phosphate concentrate with little or no contaminants. To accelerate the development of the project, the company sold royalties covering 25 claims in the James Bay area to Lithium Royalty Corp. for $2.35 million. Arianne’s decision to shore up capital in a non-dilutive fashion during 2023 seems like a strategic move to position it better for the future. In March, after going through the arduous and costly process to qualify its material for use in LFPs, it received the detailed report on tests confirming the use of the company’s high-purity phosphate concentrate in the production of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. With that seal of approval, it will be able to sell its mine to companies and inventors. “The industry is starting to recognize the importance of sourcing all critical minerals required in the production of batteries, not just lithium,” Ostroff said at the time. “I believe it is just a matter of time before we see a rush into phosphate similar to what we have seen in other critical materials.” Ostroff thinks the company is in a good position because its Lac à Paul project is fully permitted, shovel-ready and in a jurisdiction that stands to benefit greatly from various government initiatives to secure critical materials from a safe, secure region. “The world will certainly require more phosphate, Arianne is first-up to be able to provide for this growth,” he said. Preparing For Growth To prepare, Arianne Phosphate has been streamlining the business and building name recognition. Early in 2023, Arianne announced the appointment of veteran mining players to its board and executive team including Marco Gagnon as Chairman. Gagnon is a professional geologist with 30 years of management experience within the Canadian mining industry in a wide range of commodities from project exploration to mine production. Arianne also named Dr. Raef Sully to the board. Sully most recently served as Executive Vice President of Nutrien Ltd. and was CEO of their Phosphate and Nitrogen divisions. The company has also been selling its story to investors, companies and politicians, taking part in several forums, trade events and investor conferences including the Canadian Critical Minerals Opportunities Forum in New York, The Trade Mission and a Lytham Partners hosted battery materials panel at their recent investor conference. Fertilizer Too And it's not just the EV market that’s poised for growth. The company’s high-purity phosphate concentrate is expected to see demand from companies producing fertilizer that is greener, as well. This past fall Arianne and its joint research project with the CEGEP of Riviere-de-Loup’s Environmental and Biotechnology Group received a three-year grant of $727, 500 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada new breed of fertilizers. Today, most fertilizers (MAP & DAP) are produced by taking mined phosphate concentrate and combining it with sulphuric acid and other ingredients. The work being done by GREB would alter the traditional process of making fertilizer, removing the requirement of acid, and allow for the use of organic wastes that otherwise often wind up in landfills. From EVs to fertilizer, demand for phosphate is on the cusp of booming. During the past year, Arianne Phosphate has made moves it’s betting will position it for strong growth in the New Year. ARIANNE PHOSPHATE INC. ( www.arianne-inc.com ) owns the Lac Ã Paul phosphate deposit in Quebec, Canada. Fully permitted and shovel ready, the asset is among the worldâs largest greenfield deposits, capable of producing an environmentally friendly phosphate concentrate. Due to the nature of its high-purity, low-contaminant product, Arianneâs phosphate can be used to produce fertilizer as well as meeting the technical requirements of specialty applications such as the lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery. The Lac Ã Paul deposit is rare due to its geographic location and geological structure. Arianne Phosphate is listed on both the TSX-V: DAN and the OTCQX: DRRSF. This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice. This information contains forward looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralisation and reserves, exploration results and future plans and objectives of Arianne Phosphate Inc, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Arianne Phosphate Incâs (âArianne Phosphateâ or the âCompanyâ) expectations are disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Arianne Phosphate Incâs documents filed from time-to-time with the TSX Venture and other regulatory authorities. Contact Details Brian Ostroff, President brian.ostroff@arianne-inc.com Company Website https://www.arianne-inc.com

January 25, 2024 09:25 AM Eastern Standard Time

1 ... 461 462 463 464 465 ... 3764